Investiture of the Prince of Wales

The Investiture of the Prince of Wales is the ceremony marking the formal creation of the title of Prince of Wales, similar to a coronation. An investiture is purely ceremonial, as the title is created via letters patent.

The tradition of investing the heir apparent of the English, and subsequently the British, monarch with the title of "Prince of Wales" began in 1301, when King Edward I of England, having completed the conquest of Wales, gave the title to his heir apparent, Prince Edward (later King Edward II of England).

Investiture is not necessary to be created Prince of Wales. Peers were also invested, but investitures for peers ceased in 1621, at a time when peerages were being created so frequently that the investiture ceremonies became cumbersome. Most investitures for Princes of Wales were held in front of Parliament, but in 1911 the future King Edward VIII was invested in Caernarfon Castle in Wales. The present Prince of Wales, Charles, was also invested there in 1969.

The ceremony in 1969 began with Prince Charles, led by the regalia bearers, entering the Chamberlain Tower, to await the arrival of Her Majesty. Once the royal family had arrived, the lesser members took their seat in the gallery, but the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, led by the Earl of Snowdon, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Earl Marshal and the Gentleman Usher carrying the Great Sword of State, made their way to the stage where the investiture was to be conducted. After reaching the podium where the Secretary of State for Wales, carrying the Letters Patent was already standing, the Earl Marshal instructed Garter to conduct the Prince and his cortège from the tower. As they came to the stage Prince Charles knelt before the three thrones on the stage. During the reading of the Letters Patent in Welsh, the Queen invested Charles with the girdle, sword, coronet, ring, rod and kingly mantle, in that order. Prince Charles then declared, "I, Charles, do become your liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship, and faith and truth I bear unto you, to live and die against all manner of folks." Charles then customarily kissed the Queen's cheek and they embraced. Charles then took his place in the throne at his mother's right, before standing to give two speeches, one in Welsh and one in English. A brief religious service was then conducted and the Queen led the Prince of Wales to Queen Eleanor's Gate, to receive the homage of his adopted nation. The numerous banners and standards of the Prince of Wales were hung from the balcony.

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Wikipedia